Bioerosion of reef-building crustose coralline algae by endolithic invertebrates in an upwelling-influenced reef

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to prove and qualify the influence of textured surface substrates morphology and chemical composition on the growth and propagation of transplanted corals. Use additive manufacturing and silicone moulds for converting three-dimensional samples into limestone mortar with white Portland cement substrates for coral growth. Design/methodology/approach Tiles samples were designed and printed with different geometries and textures inspired by nature marine environment. Commercial coral frag tiles were analysed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to identify the main chemical elements. Raw materials and coral species were selected. New base substrates were manufactured and deployed into a closed-circuit aquarium to monitor the coral weekly evolution process and analyse the results obtained. Findings Experimental results provided positive statistical parameters for future implementation tests, concluding that the intensity of textured surface, interfered favourably in the coralline algae biofilm growth. The chemical composition and design of the substrates were determinant factors for successful coral propagation. Recesses and cavities mimic the natural rocks aspect and promoted the presence and interaction of other species that favour the richness of the ecosystem. Originality/value Additive manufacturing provided an innovative method of production for ecology restoration areas, allowing rapid prototyping of substrates with high complexity morphologies, a critical and fundamental attribute to guarantee coral growth and Crustose Coralline Algae. The result of this study showed the feasibility of this approach using three-dimensional printing technologies.

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Crustose coralline algae as fouling organisms on North Sea oil installations

Eleventh International Seaweed Symposium ◽

10.1007/978-94-009-6560-7_88 ◽

1984 ◽

pp. 447-448

Author(s):

B. L. Moss

Keyword(s):

North Sea ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae ◽

Fouling Organisms

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Slow Community Development Enhances Abiotic Limitation of Benthic Community Structure in a High Arctic Kelp Bed

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.592295 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Christina Bonsell ◽

Kenneth H. Dunton

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Community Development ◽

Benthic Community ◽

Beaufort Sea ◽

High Arctic ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Physical Factors ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae ◽

Benthic Community Structure ◽

Kelp Bed

We examined the patterns of propagule recruitment to assess the timescale and trajectory of succession and the possible roles of physical factors in controlling benthic community structure in a shallow High Arctic kelp bed in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. Spatial differences in established epilithic assemblages were evaluated against static habitat attributes (depth, distance from river inputs) and environmental factors (temperature, salinity, current speed, underwater light) collected continuously over 2–6 years. Our measurements revealed that bottom waters remained below freezing (mean winter temperatures ∼−1.8°C) and saline (33–36) with negligible light levels for 8–9 months. In contrast, the summer open water period was characterized by variable salinities (22–36), higher temperatures (up to 8–9°C) and measurable irradiance (1–8 mol photons m–2 day–1). An inshore, near-river site experienced strong, acute, springtime drops in salinity to nearly 0 in some years. The epilithic community was dominated by foliose red algae (47–79%), prostrate kelps (2–19%), and crustose coralline algae (0–19%). Strong spatial distinctions among sites included a positive correlation between cover by crustose coralline algae and distance to river inputs, but we found no significant relationships between multi-year means of physical factors and functional groups. Low rates of colonization and the very slow growth rates of recruits are the main factors that contribute to prolonged community development, which augments the influence of low-frequency physical events over local community structure. Mortality during early succession largely determines crustose coralline algal and invertebrate prevalence in the established community, while kelp seem to be recruitment-limited. On scales > 1 m, community structure varies with bathymetry and exposure to freshwater intrusion, which regulate frequency of primary and physiological disturbance. Colonization rates (means of 3.3–69.9 ind. 100 cm–1 year–1 site–1) were much lower than studies in other Arctic kelp habitats, and likely reflect the nature of a truly High Arctic environment. Our results suggest that community development in the nearshore Beaufort Sea occurs over decades, and is affected by combinations of recruitment limitation, primary disturbance, and abiotic stressors. While seasonality exerts strong influence on Arctic systems, static habitat characteristics largely determine benthic ecosystem structure by integrating seasonal and interannual variability over timescales longer than most ecological studies.

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Community assessment of crustose calcifying red algae as coral recruitment substrates

10.1101/2021.09.27.461929 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mari E. Deinhart ◽

Matthew S. Mills ◽

Tom Schils

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Red Algae ◽

Taxonomic Diversity ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae ◽

Coral Recruitment ◽

Successful Recruitment ◽

Ecological Roles ◽

Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽

Species Specific

AbstractSuccessful recruitment of invertebrate larvae to reef substrates is essential to the health of tropical coral reef ecosystems and their capacity to recover from disturbances. Crustose calcifying red algae (CCRA) have been identified as important recruitment substrates for scleractinian corals. As such, CCRA as a whole or subgroups (e.g., crustose coralline algae, CCA) are often used at the functional group level in experimental, ecological, and monitoring studies. Species of CCRA, however, differ in their ecological roles and their value as coral recruitment substrates. Here, we (1) investigate the species richness and community composition of CCRA on experimental coral recruitment tiles, and (2) assess if there is a recruitment preference of the coral Acropora surculosa for any of these CCRA species. 27 species of two orders of CCRA (Corallinales and Peyssonneliales) were identified from the recruit tiles. None of the DNA sequences of these species matched released sequences in GenBank or sequences of CCRA collected from natural reef systems in Guam. The similarity in CCRA communities between the recruitment tiles was high. Two species of CCRA were significantly preferred as recruitment substrates over the other CCRA species. Both of these species belonged to the subfamily of the Lithophylloideae. These two species are closely related to Pacific species that have been referred to as Titanoderma -but probably have to be assigned to another genus- and many of the latter have been attributed to be preferred coral recruitment substrates. Of all CCRA, Lithophylloideae sp. 1 had the highest benthic cover on the recruitment tiles and was the most preferred recruitment substrate. These findings highlight the high taxonomic diversity of CCRA communities and provide insight into species-specific ecological roles of CCRA that are often overlooked.

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An unusual microbiome characterises a spatially-aggressive crustose alga rapidly overgrowing shallow Caribbean reefs

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-76204-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Bryan Wilson ◽

Chen-Ming Fan ◽

Peter J. Edmunds

Keyword(s):

Marine Invertebrates ◽

Large Subunit ◽

Virgin Islands ◽

Scleractinian Corals ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Marker Genes ◽

Ecological Change ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae ◽

Us Virgin Islands ◽

Tropical Reefs

AbstractSeveral species of crustose coralline algae (CCA) and their associated microbial biofilms play important roles in determining the settlement location of scleractinian corals on tropical reefs. In recent decades, peyssonnelid algal crusts (PAC) have become spatial dominants across large areas of shallow Caribbean reefs, where they appear to deter the recruitment of scleractinians. Our genetic investigations of PAC in St. John, US Virgin Islands, amplifying the large-subunit ribosomal RNA and psbA protein D1 marker genes, revealed them to be identical to Ramicrusta textilis previously reported overgrowing corals in Jamaica. Specimens of PAC sampled from the Honduras were likewise identical, confirming that this crustose alga inhabits the easternmost and westernmost regions of the Caribbean. We also analysed 16S rDNA tag amplicon libraries of the biofilms associated with PAC and sympatric CCA, which is favoured for coral settlement. Our results show that the microbial communities on PAC (vs. CCA) are characterized by significantly lower numbers of the epibiotic bacterial genus Pseudoalteromonas, which facilitates the recruitment and settlement of marine invertebrates. From these data, we infer that PAC are therefore unlikely to be attractive as settlement sites for coral larvae. Given the significant ecological change anticipated on these reefs due to increasing cover of PAC, there is an urgent need to further investigate competitive interactions between PAC and scleractinian corals, and elucidate the role of PAC and their associated microbiomes in accentuating phase shifts from coral to algae on tropical reefs.

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Global warming offsets the ecophysiological stress of ocean acidification on temperate crustose coralline algae

Marine Pollution Bulletin ◽

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111324 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 157 ◽

pp. 111324 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ju-Hyoung Kim ◽

Nahyun Kim ◽

Hanbi Moon ◽

Sukyeon Lee ◽

So Young Jeong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Ocean Acidification ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae

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Biotic interactions in the colonization of crustose coralline algae by epiphytes

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology ◽

10.1016/0022-0981(96)00018-4 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 199 (2) ◽

pp. 303-318 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Marcia A.de O. Figueiredo ◽

Joanna M. Kain(Jones) ◽

Trevor A. Norton

Keyword(s):

Biotic Interactions ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae

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Bryozoan framework composition in the oddly shaped reefs from Abrolhos Bank, Brazil, southwestern Atlantic: taxonomy and ecology

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4483.1.6 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4483 (1) ◽

pp. 155 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

LAÍS V. RAMALHO ◽

PAUL D. TAYLOR ◽

FERNANDO COREIXAS MORAES ◽

RODRIGO MOURA ◽

GILBERTO M. AMADO-FILHO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Records ◽

Taxonomic Composition ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae ◽

Bryozoan Species ◽

Biogenic Structures ◽

Sessile Invertebrates ◽

Fringing Reefs ◽

Building Community ◽

Main Components

Bryozoans are a key group of sessile invertebrates in some reef frameworks but are typically neglected in environmental monitoring programs. Abrolhos Bank (Brazil) is the largest reef complex in the South Atlantic Ocean, encompassing several reef landscapes over an area of 46,000 km2. A transition takes place across the shelf from mangroves to soft sediments, coastal shallow reefs to a volcanic archipelago – surrounded by fringing reefs – and unique mushroom-shaped biogenic structures, with mesophotic pinnacle reefs, rhodolith beds, sink-holes and shelf break deep environments. The taxonomic composition of the bryozoan fauna was studied in 11 core samples taken from shallow to mesophotic mid-shelf reefs (4–25 m deep) on Abrolhos Bank by divers using a submersible drill. Of the 20 bryozoan species sampled, 17 are new records for Abrolhos Bank and seven species are new to science: Crassimarginatella winstonae n. sp., Parasmittina distincta n. sp., Parasmittina abrolhosensis n. sp., Hemismittoidea asymmetrica n. sp., Stylopoma variabilis n. sp., Stylopoma hastata n. sp., and Plesiocleidochasma acuminata n. sp. (described by Ramalho, Taylor & Moraes). The most conspicuous species is Celleporaria atlantica. These results increase to 48 the total number of bryozoan species known in this region and reinforce the importance of this group as one of the main components apart from crustose coralline algae and corals of the reef framework-building community of Abrolhos Bank.

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Associations between Benthic Cover and Habitat Complexity Metrics Obtained from 3D Reconstruction of Coral Reefs at Different Resolutions

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12061011 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1011 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Atsuko Fukunaga ◽

John H. R. Burns ◽

Kailey H. Pascoe ◽

Randall K. Kosaki

Keyword(s):

Fractal Dimension ◽

Coral Reefs ◽

Habitat Structure ◽

Coral Cover ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Structural Complexity ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae ◽

Surface Areas ◽

Abundance And Diversity

Quantifying the three-dimensional (3D) habitat structure of coral reefs is an important aspect of coral reef monitoring, as habitat architecture affects the abundance and diversity of reef organisms. Here, we used photogrammetric techniques to generate 3D reconstructions of coral reefs and examined relationships between benthic cover and various habitat metrics obtained at six different resolutions of raster cells, ranging from 1 to 32 cm. For metrics of 3D structural complexity, fractal dimension, which utilizes information on 3D surface areas obtained at different resolutions, and vector ruggedness measure (VRM) obtained at 1-, 2- or 4-cm resolution correlated well with benthic cover, with a relatively large amount of variability in these metrics being explained by the proportions of corals and crustose coralline algae. Curvature measures were, on the other hand, correlated with branching and mounding coral cover when obtained at 1-cm resolution, but the amount of variability explained by benthic cover was generally very low when obtained at all other resolutions. These results show that either fractal dimension or VRM obtained at 1-, 2- or 4-cm resolution, along with curvature obtained at 1-cm resolution, can effectively capture the 3D habitat structure provided by specific benthic organisms.

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